Added 7.18.2007: After mulling, I'm inclined not to push this analogy too hard. There's a seed of an idea here--something that is useful to me in thinking about my teaching. But I'm not sure I'd want to run a workshop based on the idea. I've always felt that if you're trying to sell an idea, it should be at least half-baked. I'm not sure this one passes that test.
First posted about 7.6.2007: I've got an analogy: It's 1935 and you want to learn how cars work, how to build them, how to design and service them. You have options that range between two extremes:
Our curriculum, in general, leans toward Plan A; in my teaching I lean toward Plan B. Naturally, neither style can be applied in pure form, to cars or Java apps, but I think these leanings are suggestive. Any actual course does some of both, but has a leaning. Up until now, 473 has taken more of a Plan A approach; I'm considering moving toward Plan B, obviously.
I may not have been fair to Plan A; in the hands of a good teacher it can work well, of course. And some subjects can hardly be taught any other way; many math courses come to mind.
In conversations with colleagues, it has been suggested that there can be can be successful courses that blend Plan A and Plan B. Let a hundred flowers bloom! I'm not pushing for pure Plan B.
I welcome discussion. This is a first attempt. I think there is something here, but it is obviously not polished. And: "All analogies limp." It is a mistake to push any analogy too far.